Obion County

Obion County, Tennessee — key demographics

Population size

• 30,787 (2020 Census); ~30.2k (2023 Census estimate)

Age

• Median age: ~42 years (ACS 2018–2022)
• Under 18: ~22%
• 65 and over: ~20%

Gender

• Female: ~51%
• Male: ~49%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~85%
• Black or African American alone: ~11%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Asian: ~0.4%
• American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.4%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~4–5%
• White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: ~81%

Households

• Total households: ~12.4k (ACS 2018–2022)
• Average household size: ~2.37
• Family households: ~66% of households
• Married-couple families: ~47% of households
• Households with children under 18: ~27%
• One-person households: ~30%
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~70%

Notes and sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Decennial Census (population level and race); 2018–2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates (age, gender, households); 2023 Vintage Population Estimates (latest count). Figures rounded for clarity.

Obion County, TN email usage snapshot

• Estimated email users: ~21,000 adults. Basis: county adult population and national email uptake among internet users (>90%) applied to local internet adoption.
• Age mix of email users (approx.): 18–34: 30%; 35–54: 34%; 55–64: 17%; 65+: 19% (mirrors the county’s older-than-average age profile).
• Gender split: ~51% female, 49% male (aligns with county demographics).

Digital access and trends

• Broadband adoption: roughly 75–80% of households subscribe to broadband (ACS S2801, latest 5‑year estimates).
• Network availability: fixed broadband at 100/20 Mbps is available to most addresses, with strongest coverage in Union City and South Fulton and thinner options in outlying rural areas; fiber expansion is ongoing via Tennessee broadband grant programs.
• Mobile: solid 4G/5G coverage along primary corridors supports email on smartphones; rural dead zones persist but are shrinking as carriers upgrade.
• Local density/connectivity: ~30K residents spread across a largely rural county (about mid‑50s people per square mile). Population concentration in Union City drives higher cable/fiber penetration and email use there, while sparsely populated tracts show lower subscription and slightly lower email adoption.

Summary of mobile phone usage in Obion County, Tennessee

Bottom line

• Obion County is a largely rural market with strong 4G LTE coverage in populated areas, selective 5G in and around Union City/South Fulton and along US‑51, and persistent dead zones near Reelfoot Lake and sparsely populated farm areas.
• Mobile adoption is high but trails state averages, with a notably higher reliance on cellular as the primary home internet, a heavier tilt to Android and prepaid/MVNO plans, and a slower pace of 5G mid‑band upgrades than urban Tennessee.

User estimates (2024, modeled from the latest available county-level ACS internet/device indicators and statewide mobile adoption benchmarks)

• Population context: ~30.5k residents; ~12.3k households; adult (18+) population ~23–24k.
• Adult smartphone users: ~19–21k adults (≈82–86% of adults), below Tennessee’s ≈89–92%.
• Households with at least one smartphone: ~10.5–10.9k (≈85–88% of households), vs Tennessee ≈90%+.
• Mobile-only home internet (cellular data plan but no fixed broadband): ~2.2–2.7k households (≈18–22%), higher than Tennessee’s ≈14–16%.
• Plan mix: prepaid/MVNO ~38–45% of lines (state ≈30–35%); cost sensitivity and credit factors drive this gap.
• Device mix: Android ≈65–70%, iOS ≈30–35% (state closer to near‑parity), reflecting price sensitivity and retail availability.
• Work/education usage: above‑average reliance on phone‑based hotspotting for homework, telehealth, and seasonal/shift work; video streaming quality constrained in fringe coverage zones.

Demographic breakdown and usage patterns

• Age: 65+ smartphone adoption ≈68–74% (state ≈78–82%); 18–34 ≈94–97% (near state levels). Older residents more likely to be mobile‑only for affordability even when speeds are lower.
• Income: households under $35k show the highest mobile‑only rates (≈28–35%), well above the county average and above statewide peers, aligning with prepaid/MVNO penetration.
• Race/ethnicity: County population is predominantly White with smaller Black and Hispanic communities; Black and Hispanic residents are more likely to be mobile‑only for home internet than White residents, mirroring statewide digital equity patterns but with a larger gap because fixed broadband availability and affordability are more constrained in rural tracts.
• Education: Lower four‑year degree attainment than the state corresponds to higher prepaid adoption and lower iOS share; K‑12 families exhibit elevated hotspot and public Wi‑Fi use.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Carriers present: AT&T, Verizon, and T‑Mobile all operate in the county; US‑51 corridor and Union City/South Fulton see the most robust capacity.
• 4G LTE: Near‑universal coverage across populated areas; signal degradation appears around Reelfoot Lake WMA, low‑lying river bottoms, and some farm roads.
• 5G:
  • T‑Mobile mid‑band 5G covers Union City/South Fulton and main corridors; rural fill‑in remains ongoing.
  • AT&T 5G (including low‑band) present in towns and along highways; C‑band deployment is limited but improving with new fiber backhaul.
  • Verizon 5G DSS is common; targeted C‑band sites near Union City boost capacity but do not yet match urban Tennessee densities.
• Backhaul and fiber: Gibson Electric Membership Corporation’s Gibson Connect has expanded fiber in and around Obion County, and AT&T fiber is available in parts of Union City; these builds are lifting mobile backhaul capacity but coverage gaps persist outside fiber footprints.
• Public access: Libraries, schools, and select municipal venues in Union City provide free Wi‑Fi that supplements mobile data for homework and telehealth.
• Emergency services: Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) delivered countywide; signal reliability during severe weather depends on proximity to macro sites, with river‑adjacent dead zones still noted.

How Obion County differs from Tennessee overall

• Higher mobile-only household share: ~18–22% vs ~14–16% statewide, driven by affordability and patchier fixed broadband.
• Slower 5G capacity growth: Fewer mid‑band 5G sites per capita than metro Tennessee; performance relies more on LTE and low‑band 5G.
• More prepaid/MVNO usage: ~38–45% of lines vs ~30–35% statewide.
• Device mix skews Android: ≈65–70% Android vs closer to 50–60% in urban Tennessee.
• Older age structure dampens overall smartphone penetration and app adoption relative to the state.
• Usage is utility‑oriented: hotspotting, messaging, and ag/logistics apps are prioritized over data‑intensive entertainment in fringe‑coverage areas.

Operational implications

• For carriers: The best ROI comes from targeted mid‑band 5G and LTE capacity upgrades around Union City, South Fulton, school zones, and US‑51, plus rural coverage hardening near Reelfoot Lake. Fiber backhaul partnerships with Gibson Connect and AT&T will accelerate quality gains.
• For public sector and providers: Raising fixed-broadband availability and affordability in rural tracts will reduce the mobile‑only burden; device subsidy and digital literacy programs for older and lower‑income residents would measurably increase effective mobile use.

Note on figures: Counts and percentages are county‑scale estimates synthesized from the latest available multi‑year federal datasets (e.g., ACS internet/device indicators and FCC coverage reports) and current carrier deployment patterns. They are presented to provide actionable, decision‑grade ranges that reflect Obion County’s conditions rather than statewide averages.

Obion County, TN social media snapshot (2025)

How this was built: County-level social media is not directly enumerated. Figures below are modeled local estimates using 2024 Pew Research U.S. platform usage rates by age and gender, applied to Obion County’s Census/ACS population structure (population about 31,000; adults ≈ 24,500).

Overall usage

• Active social media users (13+): ≈ 22,000 locally
• Mobile-first access: >95% of social usage occurs on smartphones
• Multi-platform behavior: typical user maintains 3–4 active platforms

Most-used platforms locally (adults 18+, estimated reach)

• YouTube: 80–83% of adults (≈ 19,500–20,300 users)
• Facebook: 65–70% (≈ 16,000–17,200)
• Instagram: 42–48% (≈ 10,300–11,800)
• TikTok: 30–36% (≈ 7,300–8,800)
• Pinterest: 30–36% (≈ 7,300–8,800)
• Snapchat: 24–30% (≈ 5,900–7,300)
• X (Twitter): 18–23% (≈ 4,400–5,600)
• Reddit: 18–23% (≈ 4,400–5,600)
• LinkedIn: 16–20% (≈ 3,900–4,900; lower in rural labor markets)

Age-group profile (share of each age group using platform; adults unless noted)

• Teens 13–17: YouTube ~95%; Snapchat ~75%; TikTok ~70%; Instagram ~62%; Facebook ~33%
• Ages 18–29: YouTube ~95%; Instagram ~76%; TikTok ~62%; Snapchat ~65%; Facebook ~70%
• Ages 30–49: YouTube ~90%; Facebook ~75%; Instagram ~52%; TikTok ~46%; Snapchat ~30%; Pinterest ~45%
• Ages 50–64: YouTube ~83%; Facebook ~68%; Instagram ~29%; TikTok ~21%; Pinterest ~38%
• Ages 65+: YouTube ~60%; Facebook ~50%; Instagram ~15%; TikTok ~10%; Pinterest ~28%

Gender breakdown (adult usage within gender)

• Women: Facebook ~72–75%; Instagram ~50–53%; Pinterest ~44–48%; TikTok ~32–35%; Snapchat ~26–29%; YouTube ~78–82%; X ~16–19%; Reddit ~14–18%
• Men: YouTube ~84–87%; Facebook ~60–64%; Instagram ~39–43%; TikTok ~29–33%; Snapchat ~23–27%; X ~22–26%; Reddit ~26–30%; Pinterest ~20–24%

Behavioral trends in Obion County

• Community-first Facebook: Local news, school and church updates, high school sports, and Marketplace dominate; Facebook Groups drive recurring engagement.
• Video leads: Short-form video (Reels/TikTok/Shorts) outperforms static posts for events, sports highlights, hunting/fishing, farm and small-business content.
• Messaging as CTA: “Message us” on Facebook/Instagram converts better than link-outs for service inquiries and appointment setting.
• Daypart patterns: Peaks around 6–8 a.m., 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., and 7–9 p.m.; Sunday afternoon and weeknights are strong for community updates.
• Generational split: Under 30s cluster on Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok; 30–54s split time between Facebook and Instagram; 55+ are Facebook-first with growing YouTube use.
• Commerce cues: Marketplace and local buy/sell groups influence purchase decisions for autos, equipment, furniture, and seasonal services; Pinterest usage among women 25–54 lifts home, crafts, and holiday retail.
• Trust and locality: Posts featuring recognizable local places, faces, and organizations consistently outperform generic creative.

Most-used platforms summary (local rank by adult reach)

1. YouTube (~80–83%)
2. Facebook (~65–70%)
3. Instagram (~42–48%)
4. TikTok and Pinterest (~30–36%)
5. Snapchat (~24–30%)
6. X and Reddit (~18–23%)
7. LinkedIn (~16–20%)

Notes

• Figures are modeled local estimates anchored to 2024 Pew Research platform usage rates and the county’s adult population; exact county-specific platform counts are not directly published by platforms or the Census.